What's Real?

Full Course Title: What's real? How do our perceptions inform our understanding of reality?

In Gabriel Garcia Marquez's masterpiece "One Hundred Years of Solitude," we are taken on a journey through the history of the Buendia family and the town of Macondo. Through the family's triumphs and tragedies, we witness the cyclical nature of time and the themes of solitude, memory, and the search for meaning in life. Marquez's use of magical realism challenges our understanding of reality and forces us to question the limits of our own imaginations. This book raises philosophical questions about the human experience, our relationship with time and memory, and the nature of our own reality. Through our discussions, we will explore the role of subjectivity in shaping our perceptions of reality and how this impacts our understanding of ourselves and others.

In this one-time class, we will engage in lively discussion and reflection on the themes presented in "One Hundred Years of Solitude." Together, we will explore questions such as:

• What does it mean to be human, and how do our perceptions shape our reality?
• How does our understanding of ourselves and the world around us change over time?
• Can we ever truly understand the nature of existence or are we forever limited by our perceptions?
• How do cultural and societal beliefs shape our perceptions and understanding of the world?
• In what ways does our personal history influence our perceptions and understanding of reality?

Beer Pairing

As part of the Drinkers and Great Thinkers series, we will pair One Hundred Years of Solitude with a tasting of Belgian-style beers such as a Chimay and Duvel to complement the book's themes of complexity and depth. The complexity of the beer's flavor profile will match the intricacies of the novel's plot and characters, while the depth of the beer's history and brewing process will mirror the depth of Marquez's storytelling.